Workout in the Water

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Aquatic fitness experts share exercises to make working out in the pool more

interesting than just swimming endless laps.

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-swim15-2009jun15,0,2431765.story

By Jeannine Stein June 15, 2009

Hey, swimmers, don't limit yourself to lanes, the aquatic version of a hamster

wheel.

And landlubbers, give up the notion that strength training and cardio are best

done on terra firma.

Aqua aerobics, or aquatic fitness, is no longer the domain of people recovering

from injuries, trying to exercise despite limited abilities or struggling with

chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Pool workouts are hot, especially group exercise classes. The latest ones

incorporate Pilates, kickboxing and strength training, targeting all muscle

groups and building endurance.

" Working out in the water is excellent cross-training, " says Seamster, an

aquatic fitness instructor at California Family Fitness in Sacramento. " On land

you're using gravity, but in water you're using the water's properties -- it's

heavier than air, and you have resistance in all directions. "

Water also provides bones and joints with a break from constant pounding -- a

big boon for those who run or play sports such as soccer, volleyball and

basketball. " You can exercise at a high intensity with zero impact, " says Niecia

Staggs, a masters swim coach at Equinox.

" You also have the challenge of maintaining core stability, " says Doris

Dodge-Thews, a master trainer with 24-Hour Fitness. " Any time you're in water,

you challenge the core to maintain any movement. " Water's constant motion forces

the body to stay upright and balanced, which targets the muscles in the trunk

and back.

Obviously, already-fit types looking for new challenges, especially as summer

approaches, should think twice before passing on the opportunity to work out

while staying cool.

We asked four aquatic fitness experts for their favorite pool exercises that can

be added to lane swims, or done on their own. While most of these can be tackled

by water workout novices, they're not necessarily for the faint of heart. Many

trainers recommending taking a couple of group classes to get a feel for proper

form. Some exercises require minimal equipment, such as small, hand-held buoys

or water noodles, which can be found at most sporting goods stores or online.

Niecia Staggs

Masters swim coach, Equinox, Southern California:

1. For a good cardio exercise that gets the blood flowing and also works the leg

muscles, begin by resting your arms on a water noodle placed around your back in

a C-shape. Bend your body at the hips in a V, so the feet are up at the surface.

Make sure your core is tight, and legs are straight with toes pointed. Holding

tension in the leg muscles, cross the feet back and forth at the ankles, just

below the surface of the water. Do it as briskly as you can. The water provides

resistance. Start with 1 1/2 minutes and gradually work up to about five

minutes.

2. While still in that V position, do leg sweeps. Keep the right leg straight

and push the toes toward the left hand, then reverse it -- take the left foot

over to the right hand. You'll feel it in the core, but this also targets the

quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, similar to a kicking exercise. You may not be

able to take your foot all the way to your hand, but strive for increasing your

range of motion. Even if you don't have full range of motion to start, you'll

still feel it. Do about 12 to 16 reps on each leg.

3. Deck push-ups are great for the shoulders, back and arms. Stand by the side

of the pool facing the pool's edge, with hands shoulder-width apart, about

chest-high on the deck. Push down through the palms and, with a little jump,

come out of the water so that your hips are even with the deck. Hold that

position for a couple of seconds, and then lower down slowly.

Doris Dodge-Thews

Master trainer, 24 Hour Fitness, Orange County:

1. To give your abs a workout, place a noodle along your back and rest your arms

on it. Let your feet dangle in the water, fully extended. Bring the knees up to

the chest, feeling the move in your core. Everything has to fire to make that

exercise happen. To change it up, rotate the knees toward the shoulders as you

bring them up, which will target the obliques. Do three sets of 25 reps.

2. This exercise uses buoys to work the obliques and back extensors: Stand in

chest-high water with legs shoulder-width apart. Holding a buoy in each hand,

bend to the left and take the buoy toward the knee. This forces the obliques to

contract, and works the back extensors. Resist the movement on the way up, and

do the same thing on the other side. Do 20 repetitions on each side.

3. Another good move that targets the hip flexors, glutes, quads, and inner and

outer thigh muscles is called a clam digger. With the noodle behind your back,

lie on it with arms extended, and angle your body to one side. With knees

together, one on top of the other, bend the legs. Keeping the feet together,

open the top knee, then bring knees together again. Flip over and do the same on

the other side. Repeat 20 times on each side.

Katina Brock

Water aerobics instructor, North Valley Family YMCA, Northridge:

1. For a cardio boost, try tuck jumps. Start by having your feet on the bottom

of the pool, water about chest-high. Push off the bottom and go into a tuck

position, bringing your hands to your shins, like you're doing a cannonball. If

you pull your arms down hard, you'll feel it. Then release the arms as the feet

shoot down to the bottom. It's better to do this quickly -- don't rest on the

return -- to get your heart rate up. A quicker tempo will work the legs more

too. To make this move more difficult, start with one leg lifted in the tuck

position and alternate legs coming up into the tuck position instead of both

coming up at the same time. Consider this interval training -- do it for a

minute or two minutes, gradually increasing the time.

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2. Jumping jacks are also good for cardio and working major leg muscles. Start

with your feet together, touching the bottom of the pool, arms by your side,

water about mid-chest-high. Jump out so the feet are wide, and the arms come up

straight out to the side. Jump back to a standing position, and repeat, but

don't land stiff-legged -- land with some softness in the knees to absorb the

small amount of impact to the legs.

3. For a faux cycling workout, put the noodle between your legs for buoyancy and

move your legs as if you were pedaling. You can move your arms in a breast

stroke or a paddling motion, and even cycle backward. Add some visual imagery to

it too -- pretend you're in a group cycling class and lean back like you were

going uphill, or lean forward slightly as on a downhill. Even if you are a

cyclist, by doing this in the water you'll be using some slightly different

muscle groups. It's just different enough, but it allows you to keep or improve

your training endurance and skills.

Seamster

Aquatic fitness instructor, California Family Fitness, Sacramento:

1. Jogging in the water is great for improving cardio, and the legs work while

moving against the water. Try jogging in shallow water that comes up to between

your belly button and chest. As you jog, do a reverse breast stroke, in which

your arms are coming in toward each other, so you're kind of hugging the water.

Gather as much water as possible while running forward. You'll be resisting the

water as you travel forward, which will impede your travel. Jog forward for

about 16 counts, then go backward doing a regular breast stroke, which will

impede your travel again. This helps to improve cardiovascular function and

endurance. If trying this in the ocean, travel laterally so that the water level

stays the same.

2. For the upper body, do bicep curls using hand-held buoys. With palms facing

up and the buoy on the water's surface, bring the buoy down, keeping the elbow

steady and by your side. This exercise also targets the triceps -- when you pull

down, you'll feel it in the back of the arm. Let the buoy up slowly. Do about

eight to 12 reps for a couple of sets. Whenever you use buoyant equipment in

this way, take precautions with your shoulder and neck. Holding the buoy,

there's a tendency to raise your shoulders up toward your ears, but your

shoulders should be kept pressed down.

3. To work the core, stand in a squat position with both feet touching the

ground and knees bent. The water should be about chest-high. Work the water with

the upper body, scooping it with palms up, like you're rowing a boat. You can do

this with arms in unison, or alternating them. Squeeze the glutes and contract

your abs and keep the core strong as you work the water with your hands. Do this

in intervals, starting with 20 seconds, gradually increasing it to 45 seconds.